How 3 immigrant women, now Americans, boldly embrace their heritage and their dreams.  

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“It was like everything happened before our eyes.”

Zainab, Refugee from Iran

The wail of a siren. It’s a sound most of us barely register. For Entisar and her daughters, it’s a terrifying echo of the day they fled Iraq. The roar of planes overhead, the ground trembling with explosions – these are not distant memories, but vivid flashbacks that haunt their present.

With her husband and grandfather working for the U.S. Embassy, they were marked, living under a constant threat. Entisar said, “There were threats coming to the whole family.”

They loved their city in Iraq. The people and their customs made the place home. When the bombs signaled the start of a war, they knew they couldn’t stay. The family chose the unknown – three years of uncertain clearance for U.S. resettlement – over the danger of being hunted down because of their involvement with the U.S. military.

When they finally were approved to come to America in 2014, they immediately joined an uncle who had been living in Spokane. None of the family knew English and they quickly figured out that life wouldn’t look the same as it did in Iran.

“We were in elementary school. I was in fifth grade and she,” said Shahla pointing to her sister Zainab. “…was in first grade.”

As a five-year-old, Zainab felt dizzy from the plane ride. Her eyes were dazzled when she saw the city of Spokane spread out before her. The young girl noticed that she didn’t understand the words of the people in the airport. “It was scary cause we didn’t know the language first,” said Zainab. How would she make friends?

Zainab was enrolled into first grade. “In like a year or two I started speaking really good English and learning to write and read – cause, I started in first grade so it was really easy for me. I really thank my first-grade teacher. She’s the best. Lots of people helped us.”

Shahla, Entisar’s eldest, was placed in fifth grade. She remembered that it was difficult since she didn’t have a shared language with the rest of the classroom.

“It wasn’t easy for me. It was hard, very hard… When I came, I didn’t understand any words so I was really scared,” said Shahla. Yet she pressed beyond her fears and graduated high school with good grades and big dreams.

“Now I am going to college to study business.”

Entisar transformed her family’s kitchen into a hub of culinary creativity

“When she started her business. My dad was her biggest supporter and like did practically everything to get her started.”

Zainab, Refugee from Iran

Initially, Entisar’s husband found a labor-intensive job to support their family. For several years, Entisar contributed to the household income by sewing bags at home for a local textiles company. This arrangement allowed her to care for their two youngest daughters, who were born in Spokane.

For seven years, her husband was the primary breadwinner. Then, in 2022, a workplace injury abruptly changed their circumstances. He was rushed to the hospital, where they learned he had a torn bicep and would be unable to work for a year.

Faced with this new challenge, Entisar began working at Feast World Kitchen. She saw an opportunity to share her Iraqi culture through food, a prospect that resonated with the Spokane community. This led to a partnership where she prepared authentic Iraqi dishes at Feast World Kitchen, effectively transforming her family’s kitchen into a hub of culinary creativity.

“When she cooks it’s really busy,” said Zainab. “There’s this one store we bought so much stuff… we bought all the bread from it.”

Witnessing her mother’s entrepreneurial success inspired Shahla to pursue a college degree in business.

“My mom’s work helped me to gain experience,” said Shahla. She demonstrated remarkable skill in managing the administrative aspects, handling all the paperwork with efficiency.

“Now she’s my manager,” said Enitsar with a laugh. “She help me with everything. All of my family help me with my business. Some go with me when I cooking, take food for the people. Some stay with my little children. My husband drive me for everything.”

For these refugee women, becoming American citizens is the dream

“First of all, everybody wishes they had the citizenship,” said Entisar. “Second of all, you feel safe when you have it. You have more opportunities when you have it.”

Entisar remembered sitting down for the test. Her eyes stared blankly, barely taking in the first question asking for her last name. The citizenship meant so much to her. “You live in peace knowing you are safe and have your rights.”

Much to Entisar’s relief, she passed and became a citizen at the end of 2019. The family’s journey to stability in the U.S. was made possible by the invaluable support they received from World Relief Spokane.

“Until we received citizenship, all our thanks were to World Relief,” said Entisar. “We came to Spokane and World Relief helped find apartment. There for everything! For social, DSHS, green card, citizenship. They take me to SCC and I study ESL.”

“The best part is our whole family’s here, like my aunts and uncles, so we don’t feel lonely,” said Zainab.

“Life here it was easier to adapt… I didn’t forget my country and my language. I’m proud of that.” Zainab is doing well in school, having even received a certificate from the White House for her academic scores. She hopes to become a heart surgeon. “I just like helping people.”

Shahla is attending college at SCC, and hopes to transfer to Eastern Washington University to finish her last two years of college. Like her sisters, her dreams are also lofty. “I want to start an international business.”

These immigrant women, now empowered Americans, embrace their heritage and enrich Spokane with their culture.

Other refugee women are arriving in Spokane, looking to build a strong foundation for their children. Some are single mothers; others have never left the home. Each immigrant woman is in need of the love of Christ – the same kind of love full of mercy and compassion. Let us answer that call by urging our lawmakers to sustain the Refugee Resettlement program and exploring ways to support refugees in our community.